[starseeker]

Just found some long lost photos of the 1/350 TOS Enterprises I built for for myself and my nephew as Christmas presents back in 1993. I'd read an article in Scale Modeling Magazine by a guy called David Merriman and he'd built one and he included the best blueprints I'd ever seen and I figured that if this guy can do it, so can I. How hard could it be?
Three months later...
Sigh.
The whole thing was vacuum formed over wooden masters. One end of a Leggs container was used for the curving surround of the deflector dish. The deflector dish itself was attached to a push on push off switch that turned on the lights. The most I knew about making leds flash was the LM 3909 flasher, so I wired in a bunch of them, one for the nav lights, the rest for a random nacelle light effect, which with some mirrored crystal beads behind and between the leds turned out pretty darned cool.

 

[Fozzie]

That's very impressive! :thumbsup:

 

[starseeker]

This puppy was huge compared to the amt E.
This must have been my nephew's year for Christmas, as in the same assortment of pictures, I found a couple shots of a hangar bay I built for him. It was scaled to the amt Galileo. I think I'd already built him a Galileo but there are pictures of him getting the runabout that year, too. Have no idea what the Falcon is doing there.
And a couple shots taken later on when I'd finished the necessary companion models of Khan's sleeper ship and the Tholian ship.
What a fantastic blast from the past finding these pictures was! There were a few more, I seem to remember, of both Es in formation in our living room.
I don't know if any of my nephew's models have survived. I'm almost afraid to ask. I AM afraid to ask.My big E was of course a little too big and like almost all my models ended up in the attic, where the years have not been kind to it at all. A couple years ago I posted some shots of it here. It still lights and flashes impressively but it's a bit warped and some of the bits are missing.
Most of the markings were hand painted but a few were tiny bits of decal. I still remember how difficult it was to get the red stripe on the sides of the 1/350 shuttles.
Maybe the best (as in most fun) builds of my life. Maybe because one was going to be a gift to the world's biggest 11 year old Star Trek fan.
I hope all of you have as much fun with your 1/350 TOS E Christmases, in December, July, whenever. Happy Holidays!

 

[machgo]

HFS--that is impressive! Did you make the vacu-form machine for the project as well? And how did you do the markings on the big E? They look great. Awesome :thumbsup:

 

[Hunch]

So you were one of the first kids on the block to have one! Thats cool.:thumbsup: I love the hanger bay as well, great work!
Jim

 

[Fozzie]

I love the hanger bay as well, great work!
Jim

I have to agree! Love that diorama. Very nicely done!

 

[Maritain]

Very,very nice!

 

[StarshipClass]

Wow! You don't need the new model kit coming out. You've been good to go for a long time, now! EXCELLENT work!

I really like the shuttlebay, too! Fantastic work!!!

 

[kenlee]

This puppy was huge compared to the amt E.
This must have been my nephew's year for Christmas, as in the same assortment of pictures, I found a couple shots of a hangar bay I built for him. It was scaled to the amt Galileo. I think I'd already built him a Galileo but there are pictures of him getting the runabout that year, too. Have no idea what the Falcon is doing there.
And a couple shots taken later on when I'd finished the necessary companion models of Khan's sleeper ship and the Tholian ship.
What a fantastic blast from the past finding these pictures was! There were a few more, I seem to remember, of both Es in formation in our living room.
I don't know if any of my nephew's models have survived. I'm almost afraid to ask. I AM afraid to ask.My big E was of course a little too big and like almost all my models ended up in the attic, where the years have not been kind to it at all. A couple years ago I posted some shots of it here. It still lights and flashes impressively but it's a bit warped and some of the bits are missing.
Most of the markings were hand painted but a few were tiny bits of decal. I still remember how difficult it was to get the red stripe on the sides of the 1/350 shuttles.
Maybe the best (as in most fun) builds of my life. Maybe because one was going to be a gift to the world's biggest 11 year old Star Trek fan.
I hope all of you have as much fun with your 1/350 TOS E Christmases, in December, July, whenever. Happy Holidays!

It would be really sad to let an impressive piece of work like that just go away, it should be rescued and restored if at all possible.

 

[Captain April]

Ah, Dave Merriman, incredibly talented modeler, with an ego the size of a gas giant.

Fun times....

 

[KUROK]

Scratch builds like yours are very impressive!

 

[Trekkriffic]

Ah, Dave Merriman, incredibly talented modeler, with an ego the size of a gas giant.

Fun times....

LOL! Classic!


Starseeker,

I concur. You should restore your 1/350 E. The memories alone render it priceless!